Avengers: Blade is an unlikely teammate but he isn’t the first unexpected member
By Mark Lynch
Image Source: Marvel Digital Comics, Avengers
Why Blade is not the first unlikely hero to join the Avengers.
In a recent issue of Avengers by Jason Aaron, Black Panther brought in in an expert to help deal with the vampire crisis in Transylvania before innocent people get caught in a war. That Expert was Blade and he’s now an Avenger. It was shocking since Blade isn’t a conventional Avenger. He’s a guy who works closer to the street and won’t hesitate to take care of someone permanently. Over the last decade or so, Marvel has gone away from the classic Avengers and added some new unconventional members.
Characters like Shang Chi, Cannonball, and Rogue (who led her own team) are examples of some characters that were odd to see among the Earth’s mightiest heroes. They’ve provided readers with a different look than they’re used to seeing. These different members also provide a new attitude and way of doing things as an Avenger. It also created new drama that added to the story. Here are some other Marvel Comics Characters that were odd choices for Avengers that ended up working out in the comics.
Hyperion
Hyperion is Marvel’s version of Superman. He has all of his powers and on some universe the same story of crashing to Earth as a baby. In some realities he’s an evil being that caused the destruction of the world. In his reality, he’s one of their greatest champions alongside the Squadron Supreme. When his Earth was destroyed he was the only survivor and ended up being captured by A.I.M. Thankfully, he was saved by the Avengers.
It may seem like an obvious choice for Hyperion to be an Avenger, but not so much. Hyperion is used to being a leader and not having many equals. He’s also vengeful. We saw this when he killed Namor. It took a little while, but he and Thor developed a great relationship. Both incredibly strong heroes who enjoy battle. If not for this friendship, Hyperion may have ended up like another Mark Milton called King Hyperion.